More than Moments
by DaJazzGal
Summary: A series of oneshots detailing various events in the lives of North and York, told from various perspectives. Summaries inside.
1. Waiting

**Hi guys! Jazz here, and welcome to More than Moments! Because I didn't see the point of uploading heaps of oneshots separately, I decided to lump them all together into one collection!**

**If anyone has any prompts or challenges you want me to write about, please let me know, and it will go in here!**

**I would also like to take a moment to thank everyone who reviewed More than Machines. You guys are a massive source of encouragement for me and I really appreciate each and every one of you, and I hope More than Mortals will be even better!**

**Anyway, here is the first oneshot!**

**Title: Waiting**

**Summary: York waits for North to return from his mission.**

**Warnings: Slash, a bit of blood**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Red vs Blue or any of the characters/trademarks associated with it.**

* * *

Agent New York stood before the Freelancer ranking board, wringing his hands in worry. His eyes were fixed on the names glowing brightly on the screen. For now, they were all blue. The Director and the Counsellor were talking quietly in the room below the list. York was watching one name in particular: North Dakota.

He and North had met after the tests which had earned them a place in Project Freelancer. North was a cool, laid-back guy, and York had taken an instant liking to him. It helped that he was good looking, too.

However, York had harboured feelings for North since they had met. He had kept it quiet though; after all, North had never given any indication that he felt the same way. But York, when he had found out that North would be leaving on a mission, had mustered up the courage to tell him that he liked him.

* * *

_York could feel him palms sweating as he leaned against North's door, trying to act casual. The Freelancers that occasionally passed gave him odd looks, but he ignored them in favour of trying to figure out what he was going to say._

"_Hey, North, I- um… I kinda really like you?" he muttered, then shook his head. "No, that's stupid… um…"_

"_Forget your door code again?" York jerked his head up to see North standing in front of him, an amused expression on his face. _

"_Actually, I was waiting for you. I… I need to talk to you," he replied anxiously, using all of his self-control to not flee and lock himself in his room. North gave him a concerned look, but didn't pry, for which York was grateful for. He quietly followed North into his room and glanced around for somewhere to sit. After a moment of indecision, he sank down into the bed. He glanced over at North's nightstand and couldn't help but notice a picture of North and South dressed elegantly, smiling. York couldn't help but notice how good North looked in a suit._

"_What is it you needed to talk to me about?" North's gentle query snapped York out of his thoughts. York looked up and took a deep breath. But just before he spoke, his mind suddenly went blank. What was he supposed to say? He hesitated, briefly speechless with panic._

"_Whatever you need to say, say it," North encouraged softly. York gathered his courage, took another breath and blurted out._

"_IthinkI'minlovewithyou!" York suddenly felt very self-conscious, an emotion he hadn't felt for a long time. _

"_Sorry?" North asked, frowning slightly. York gulped; he didn't want to say it again. However, North was still waiting, so he mustered up his courage._

"_I think I'm in love with you," he repeated, the feeling of self-consciousness growing stronger._

* * *

And then North had kissed him, and York felt like he was walking on air.

But now, North and South were out on an infiltration mission at the Bjordinal Cryogenics Research Facility. York was watching the board because he knew that if something went wrong, the board would reflect it.

Suddenly, North's name started flashing red, as did South's. Flashing red meant that they needed backup, which could be because they were in danger or simply because there were more guards than they had originally planned for. York forced himself to stay calm. Agent Carolina's status changed from Standby to On Call. Agent Carolina was the best agent they had, ranking number one on the list. She would get them through safely. York stayed watchful but relaxed, until North's status changed from On Call to Injured.

_North… _York thought, clenching his teeth behind his helmet. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to see Agent Washington standing beside him, a sympathetic expression on his usually stoic face. York gave him an appreciative nod, before turning back to the list. He sighed with relief when the flashing red changed to orange, meaning they had been extracted and were now headed back home. However, the names quickly changed to flashing orange, which meant they were under attack in transit, and York could only watch in horror as North's status changed from Injured to Critical. An announcement blared out over the speaker systems.

"All medical personnel on standby. Repeat: all medical personnel on standby."

York felt panic surge through him, and he began running blindly towards the medical bay. He vaguely registered Wash running after him for a while, before stopping, but he didn't care. He just had to get to North.

* * *

_They had arrived in time to see medics rushing past with a dark purple-armoured Agent on a stretcher. York saw bullet marks littering North's chest plate, blood pooling beneath him. His armour was smoking, a clear sign of overheating. He could hear snippets of the medic's conversation as they ran along._

"_Pushed Agent South… machine gun… ship was under attack… missiles… used his Shield… overheated…" Their voices faded away as they turned a corner and disappeared into an operating theatre. York knew that the medics wouldn't let him in, so instead he plonked himself in a chair by the door and prepared himself for a long wait._

_York was jolted awake by one of the medics, who was staring down at him with a kind but grave look on his face. York immediately leapt out of his chair, ignoring his muscle's protests about moving after sitting for so long._

"_How is he? Is he okay? Can I see him?" York asked in a rush. The medic shook his head, and York felt his heart plummet._

"_He's in a pretty bad way. The bullets only just missed some major organs, and when his armour overheated it burned him pretty badly." The doctor began. York held his breath, waiting ofr the worst. "You may see him, but…"_

"_But what?" York demanded. The doctor sighed._

"_He's in a coma, Agent, and we don't know when he'll wake up."_

* * *

Now York was sitting beside North's bed, holding his hand. He'd been sitting there for the past 2 days, leaving only occasionally. By now he was pretty certain that the Director was aware of their relationship after York had requested a week off from training. Of course, he had been forced to play the 'with somebody to care for him, he will recover faster and will be ready to fight sooner' card, but he had eventually succeeded.

And now he was here, with North. And all he could do was wait for him to wake up.

* * *

**There you go! Please leave a review, and if anyone has any suggestions or challenges for future oneshots, please let me know!**


	2. Nightmares

**Hey guys, and welcome to another oneshot/missing scene from More than Machines! This time it's set in chapter 19, and as the title suggests it's about North's nightmare.**

**Title: Nightmares**

**Summary: It was the first time York had ever seen North so shaken.**

**Warning: Slash and description of violence! Also major OOCness but I hope that it is justified... :/**

**Diclaimer: I do not own Red vs Blue or any of the characters/trademarks associated with it!**

* * *

York could hear a shrill sound ringing in his ears, pulling him out of his lovely sleep. He blinked groggily, rubbing his good eye to clear it. The sound continued, and he stumbled out of bed, groping for some shoes. His brain still hadn't kicked into gear yet, and he got up, shambling over to the door to see what was causing the 'alarm.'

Suddenly, it sank in. That high-pitched sound was no alarm, it was screaming. Human screaming. York launched himself at his door, slamming the controls to get it open. He bolted outside to see a couple of other Freelancers milling about looking confused and scared. York saw South desperately signalling to him, pointing at North's door. York felt horror dawn on him as he realised that he recognised that voice.

He immediately set to work on North's door lock, his fingers flying as he tried desperately to hack it. The seconds felt like hours as he worked to break the code, before finally he let out a shout of relief as the door control turned green and the door slid open.

He rushed inside to see North thrashing on the bad, his arms and legs flailing as if fighting an invisible assailant. But what made York's heart twist with pain was the tears tracking down North's face, illuminated by the lights on in the hall outside, before the door slid shut again.

York immediately reached out to try to still North's flying fists, calling his name frantically. North struggled even harder, and he sounded like he was choking.

"North!" York yelled, giving North one final shake. North's eyes flew open and he jolted upright. York backed away, letting him have his space as the other man gasped for breath.

"North?" he whispered gently. North's gaze snapped too him, his eyes wide and unfocused. Slowly, his wild gaze settled, and he relaxed slightly.

"York?" he asked softly. York took a few steps forward, not wanting to scare North more.

"Yeah, it's me…" he murmured gently. To his surprise, North reached out and took his hand, pulling him down onto the bed to join him. York instantly put his arms around his trembling boyfriend, and he felt North bury his face into his chest.

"Hey, I'm here, I'm here," he soothed, running his fingers through North's hair as the other man gripped on tighter, his whole body shaking. York just held him close, wondering what could possibly be running through his boyfriend's head that could have made him so upset.

They sat there for a while, York gently rubbing North's back until finally his fierce shivering had died down and he had relaxed somewhat. Eventually, he felt that it was safe to speak up.

"What happened, North? You woke me up when you started screaming…" he trailed off when North looked up at him.

"H-how did you get in here?" North asked instead, avoiding the question. York let out a quiet sigh at his boyfriend's determination to not reveal anything.

"Hacked the door." York answered. "You scared the crap out of me, North! I woke up to the sound of screaming, and I sprinted over as soon as I realised it was you. Never broke a lock so fast." He heard North chuckle quietly, but it sounded empty.

"Must've been pretty fast then," he muttered quietly, slowly pulling himself out of York's embrace. York let him go without question.

"It didn't seem fast at the time," York told him honestly, remembering how his fingers kept fumbling, and the worry that made the few minutes feel like an hour. He suddenly recalled why he'd come over in the first place, and he fixed his gaze onto North's eyes. "But that must have been a horrible nightmare. Will you tell me what happened?"

North gave him a pleading look, before sighing and nodding.

"I was- I was in the parking lot," he began. York's confusion must have shown on his face, because North elaborated. "It was where we were dropped off for the mission."

"Oh," York nodded, beckoning for North to continue.

"I was one my own… there was nobody else there… and I had no weapons, and my armour had now power… there was blood everywhere but no bodies… then I heard a noise and…" he swallowed sharply before continuing, "and I turned… and there was a soldier right there… he had a knife and he was pointing it at me…

"He wasn't moving, he was just… holding it there. I managed to get a good look… it was the same knife I'd used before, I was sure of it. I- I remember turning and… and there was another soldier behind me… and then I was completely surrounded..." North took a shuddering breath. "And then they started moving forwards, calling me a monster, and I tried to fight back but I couldn't and they just kept stabbing me and I couldn't breathe and there was blood everywhere and…" he choked and fell silent, squeezing his eyes shut.

"That must have been awful…" York breathed, understanding why North had been screaming, but not quite grasping why he was so shaken up about it. Normally when he had a violent nightmare, when York woke up he found it very easy to calm down because he wasn't under threat anymore. This dream had to have meant something to North in order to make him react so strongly to it.

"Is that all?" he asked softly. North swallowed nervously, mumbling something that sounded like 'no.' York wrapped an arm around the other man's shoulders. "You can tell me."

"When…" North began, then he hesitated. York gave him an encouraging smile, and North seemed to gain strength. "When we landed, it was empty. But I used my tracker, and we realised that we were totally outnumbered…

"It was chaos. I was fighting non-stop, only occasionally finding decent cover. Then, something exploded and everything was on fire, and CT radioed me saying that Wyoming was down and that she was taking care of him. I realised I had to get to her, so I ran out."

North told York all about the Warthog, and how he'd used the plasma grenade. The quaver in his voice became more and more obvious as he retold how he'd fought through the massive crowd of guards, and how he'd brutally massacred all the soldiers.

"But… but I felt _happy, _York!" North cried, his eyes starting to moisten. "I _enjoyed _it! I murdered all those people and- and_ smiled!_" he stared at his hands, which were trembling violently. Suddenly, he threw himself into York's arms.

"I'm a _monster_, York!" he sobbed. York sat there uncertainly, not quite sure what to do to help the situation. So he just lay back on North's bed, allowing the other male to bury his face into York's neck.

"You're _not _a monster!" York stated firmly, hugging North close, and felt his boyfriend's tears wet his neck.

And they lay there for the rest of the night, and even when North had drifted off to sleep again, York stayed awake, watching over him.

He would always protect him.

* * *

**And that last line makes me sad because *SPOILERS* North gets killed... :(**

**Anyway, thanks for reading, and please leave a review. Concrit is very much appreciated, flames are not!**


	3. Together Forever

**Cliche title is cliche...**

**Anyway, hey guys, and welcome to Together Forever! This is yet another installment in the 'More' series, but for once its not a missing scene!**

**Title: Together Forever**

**Summary: 'Delta had finally realised one key thing.'**

**Warning: Hinted past slash**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Red vs Blue or any of the characters/trademarks associated with it!**

* * *

Delta had lied.

He knew he should feel guilty about it, but he lacked that particular component. Remorse was not in his coding. And anyway, shame was a human emotion. It was also quite unfamiliar; York was never one to feel sorry for himself.

At the thought of York, Delta sighed. York had been one of the few people who had treated him the way he should be treated; as an A.I. The tan Freelancer had never tried to anthropomorphize him, instead endeavouring to explain human concepts as best as possible and not judge him when he did not understand.

York would not have blamed him for lying.

But Delta would never know for certain, because York was dead.

Death was also an unfamiliar concept to him. Delta had elected to stay with York while he lay dying on the floor. At first he had tried to rationalise his unusual decision, telling himself that he was curious as to how death affected the mortal body. But as he'd watched York's breathing become slower and shallower, and as his sensors registered the exact moment his heart stopped, he'd realised that he was upset. His undeveloped emotional algorithms had reacted very strongly as he watched York die right in front of him, and he'd imagined how a certain person would react to seeing this.

Agent North Dakota.

North had also been another person who treated Delta properly. North had also proved to be a wonderful partner to Theta, and the fact that he had been able to bring the shy A.I. out of his shell in such a short amount of time had definitely earned him Delta's respect.

Delta had also held North's utter devotion and loyalty to York in very high regard, and the purple and green Freelancer had been his second favourite person to be around. He had been a fine soldier, skilled, brave and willing to put himself in danger to help the cause.

After York's death, Delta had stayed with York, not just because of his curiosity, or because of his emotional components telling him to stay with him. Another reason he had stayed and allowed himself to be collected by the recovery agency was because he still held the hope that he might be reunited with North.

And he was. Just not in the way he'd planned.

Seeing Agent South crouching next to North's motionless body had invoked yet another strong reaction from his emotional centre, particularly his anger protocols. He'd listened to South's tale, feeling his rage growing, aimed towards whoever was doing this to the Freelancers. The fact that the only two agents he had actually respected had both been killed… he had not been able to finish that thought process before Agent Washington had shut him down.

He had booted up in South's A.I. slot, and the first thing he did was rifle through South's memories of her brother's death. What he found had shocked him; North knew that whatever it was wanted his A.I. and enhancement, but South didn't. South just thought it was a rogue agent, hunting down the other Freelancers. But North had not told her the truth. He had told South to run, told her that he would follow. And South had not protested; she had simply run off.

And then she _had _heard him scream, and she _had _run back. And she _had _been knocked out before she could get a glimpse of her brother or attacker.

She had also been genuinely upset at her brother's death, but she had been even more upset at the fact that Theta was gone. She had known that any chances of getting an A.I. were gone.

So when she'd betrayed Washington and run off with Delta, the logical A.I. had been furious; at least, as furious as a fragment of logic could possibly be. But he had pretended to be on South's side, tricking her into believing his 'help' was actually helpful, when in reality he was leading her on a path to find Agent Washington again.

When the Meta had found them, he had done all he could to protect himself, but South had wanted to sacrifice him to save herself. He hated her even more at that moment, and was glad when Washington had found them and one of the blue simulation soldiers had shot her.

His simple mind had been irrevocably turned against her.

And so he had lied.

He had told Washington that South had intentionally gotten her brother killed. He played on Wash's initial hatred of the orchid Freelancer after she had shot him in the back, and had basically told Washington that she needed to be killed.

And when Washington had shot her directly in the forehead, he had felt only a cold satisfaction.

North had not deserved to die. York's death had been tragic, but inevitable. There was nothing anyone could have done to prevent it.

But South could have prevented North's death. She could have helped him.

And a person like North, a kind, brave and loyal soldier, did not deserve a death like he'd had. So Delta had lied, so as to allow his death to be remembered, even if it was for the wrong reasons.

Delta had not wanted York to die. But he had. So, selfishly, Delta had wanted North to stay alive, so that he would have something to remind him of York.

So at first he'd been resentful of South for North's death.

But now, he was no longer upset. In fact, he was content.

Because Delta had finally realised one key thing.

North and York were never meant to be apart.

* * *

**I'm sorry, that probably didn't make much sense. but anyway! Thanks for reading, and please review! Concrit is encouraged, flames are not! :)**


	4. Family

**Hi everyone, and welcome to another installation of More than Moments!**

**Title: Family**

**Summary: York had always envisioned his perfect family**

**Warnings: Mild slash**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Red vs Blue or any of the characters/trademarks associated with it**

* * *

York had always wanted a family. For as long as he could remember, he'd dreamed of having a beautiful wife, and they would live together in a lovely house by a lake or river with their family. York had imagined a son, a daughter, a cat and a dog. It had been his idea of a perfect family.

But now he was travelling through the cold blackness of space, living on a gunmetal grey ship, fighting for his life with a large group of other soldiers. Almost none of his original life existed now; he had a new name, he lived in a suit of armour, and he had the best, most loving partner he'd ever met.

It was after he'd been with North for a while that he had remembered his old dreams of his future family. It was a different image now. There were no children or cats or dogs, or even a nice house. It was just the thought of North and him being alive and together. That was all that mattered to him now.

Plus, it didn't help that both him and North were guys.

York had resigned himself to never having the big family he had dreamed of, and he didn't care; he had North. But then the AIs had come along, and York realised that he might have to be a dad after all.

Delta was like a child genius; incredibly smart, but with no concept of social and emotional concepts, which were things that young children had to learn. And so, with North's help, York had thrown himself wholeheartedly into the task of guiding Delta. He liked to think he would be a good parent for a real child, because it took a lot of patience to deal with the small green AI.

North had once said that, if it was possible for them to have a family, he would be the mother, and York would be the father. And York couldn't help but agree as he watched his partner's interactions with Theta. North took the word patient to a whole new level, and he was endlessly gentle and understanding. But he wasn't afraid to be strict, York reflected with a grin, as he watched North sternly tell Theta off after the pink and blue AI had fallen off his 'skateboard' again.

Delta appeared and just watched, and York could feel that the AI believed that Theta had deserved the telling off. York felt his smile widen.

He may not have the family he had expected. But he wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

**There you go! Thank you for reading, and please review! As always, concrit is welcome, flames are not!**


	5. Pursuit of Affection

**Hello, my wonderful readers! Welcome to a new oneshot! This one is dedicated to Agent Louisiana, who gave me the idea for this!**

**Title: Pursuit of Affection**

**Summary: Theta was feeling lonely**

**Warnings: Mild slash**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Red vs Blue or any of the characters/trademarks associated with it**

* * *

Theta sighed as he watched York rest his head against North's chest as they sat together in their room. They were talking quietly, and though Theta could probably read what they were saying from North's mind, North had told him that it was very rude to listen in. Instead, Theta busied himself with watching as North gently leaned down and kissed the top of York's head, trying to ignore a pang of envy.

When Theta had first been implanted into North, the purple Freelancer had been so much nicer than the mean people called the Director and Counsellor, whom Theta had first met. North had made him feel safe in this confusing new world, giving him the encouragement and guidance he'd desperately needed.

York had also been wonderful to the new AI, and with the combined efforts of him and Delta, Theta had really felt welcomed into the Freelancer ranks.

Delta occasionally broke protocol to talk to him. It was from Delta that Theta learned of the relationship between North and York. At first, he'd been really happy; he had two carers who were kind to him, instead of just North.

But lately Theta had been feeling like North was becoming distant, focusing more on York than his AI. And it had been making the construct feel a bit lonely. The other Freelancers didn't really pay attention to him, excepting Wash, who only interrogated him as to his capabilities and his size.

Theta knew he was small, but he didn't like that fact being constantly pointed out, and thus he didn't really like the grey and gold Freelancer.

North was still a very kind person, putting up with late night after late night, whether it be from wandering the halls to help Theta sleep, or investigating the closet when Theta heard a noise in it. He encouraged Theta in battle, gave him tips for staying on his skateboard and complimented him on his achievements. He still remembered the glow of happiness he had felt when North praised his firework display.

But Theta couldn't help but want more. He wanted to feel loved and cherished by North, like he knew York was. But he was just an AI, meant to help North and nothing more. He had no power over North's actions.

"Theta, are you alright?"

Theta turned to see Delta's glowing green form beside him, also watching North and York.

"I'm fine," Theta replied, looking away from his fellow construct.

"Forgive me, but I do not believe you are 'fine.' I shall repeat my query; are you alright?" Delta asked, moving a little closer.

"Aren't you worried that you're breaking protocol?" Theta asked, dodging the question.

"I am confident that one conversation will not bring us any harm." Delta answered. Theta was quiet. "Do you feel like Agent North is rejecting you?" the green AI continued, following Theta's gaze to the cuddling Freelancers.

"How did you know that?" Theta asked, surprised.

"It is impossible to be connected to Agent York's mind without picking up on his emotions. I have since learned how to interpret the signals connected to the emotion. After all, York occasionally feels the same way you do."

"What do you mean?" Theta asked, confused.

"Do you not recall Agent York advising Agent North to 'pull' you so he could get some sleep?"

"Yeah…"

"Agent York also felt that Agent North was spending more time with you than him." Delta explained. Theta stared at him.

"Really?" he asked, worried that he'd been tricked. Delta nodded.

"Affirmative," he said. "Agent York approached Agent North with the issue, and Agent North has since made a 12.7% increase in effort to spend time with Agent York. I am confident that if you were to inform Agent North of your feelings, that he will most likely exhibit the same response."

"I didn't think of that," Theta mused. "Thanks, Delta!"

"I am here to assist," Delta said, before his form disappeared. Theta looked back over to the bed to see York gently pulling away, wishing North a good night as he went. Soon, North was alone, and Theta immediately moved to appear on his bedside table.

"North… can I please talk to you?" he asked quietly. North gave him a gentle smile.

"Sure, go ahead," he replied warmly, his attention completely focused on Theta. That was one thing the AI really respected about North; he always treated Theta with total respect.

"North, I… I've been feeling lonely…" he began, pausing when North frowned. North gestured for him to continue. "Well, you've been spending a lot of time with- with York and I've been missing your attention and-" the AI fell silent when North held up a finger.

"You don't have to explain, I understand," he said, holding out a hand. Theta moved to stand on the hand, and North brought him up to eye level. "York had also been feeling a bit lonely too, and I'm very sorry if it came across that I was abandoning you. Life's just been really busy, you know?"

"I know," Theta replied quietly, looking down.

"I don't want you thinking I don't like you anymore, because you are just as important to me, okay? Tell you what, tomorrow I'll book the training floor just for us, and you can pick your favourite exercise, okay?"

"Really?" Theta asked excitedly, looking up. North smiled.

"Really. Now, let's go to sleep now, so that we'll have plenty of energy for tomorrow."

Theta obediently settled down, but before he shut down, he had one last thing to say. He'd looked up the term, and was positive that he was using it in the right context.

"I love you… Dad," he said softly, nervously. He felt North's strong shock, but then he felt a wave of an emotion he couldn't place.

"I love you too, Theta," North replied. Theta felt a warmth emanating from the purple Freelancer that instantly made him feel safe and happy, and he powered down feeling loved and cherished like he'd always wanted to be.

That night was the first night that he hadn't gotten scared, and he hadn't needed North to check the closet for monsters, nor did he lie awake for a long time, wondering if he was safe. Because he knew North would always protect him.

And from the doorway, York and Delta shared a knowing look.

* * *

**So, there you go, Agent Louisiana! **

**Thank you all for reading, and please leave a review! Concrit very welcome, flames are not!**


	6. Prompts

**Hey everyone! Here are two small drabbles prompted by Petchricor's prompt list!**

* * *

**Prompt 1: North and South compete**

The stage was set.

The prize was unknown.

It would be a fight to the death.

North and South faced each other from either side of the field. They had a whole army at their disposal, waiting to face off. They'd already battled for who would make the first command, and now it was just a matter of skill and strategy.

South had won the right to the first move, and she did so swiftly. The battle got headed, dragging on as bodies began to litter the ground. York watched, enraptured, as both twins seemed equally matched for a long time. And then, North pulled off a move that left York floored.

"Checkmate," North said smugly, moving his Queen and knocking over South's King.

"God dammit," South growled, picking up the scattered pieces and folding up the chessboard. North grinned at her.

"Good job, South,"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," South grumbled, rolling her eyes at her brother. North just chuckled, before turning to York.

"So, what's the prize?"

"A kiss from a handsome prince, of course!" York laughed. North smiled, before claiming his prize with an enthusiasm that took York's breath away.

* * *

**Prompt 2: The Freelancer girls 'hang out'**

"What are they saying?"

"I don't know, I can't hear."

"Get closer then!"

"I'm tryi- ow! That was my foot!"

"Sorry!"

"Wash! Move over!"

"I can't!"

"Guys! Shut up! I'm trying to listen!"

* * *

_In the girls room._

"So, Carolina, how's training been going?" South asked, sinking down onto a couch with a can in hand.

"It's been going well, actually! I beat my high score yesterday," Carolina replied, shuffling over to give South more room on the sofa.

"So, what's the goss of Project Freelancer?" Tex asked, waltzing into the room and leaning against the wall. Connie chuckled.

"North and York, it's the talk of the ship!" she giggled. South sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Oh please, that's old news!"

"Did you know North leant that way, South?" Carolina couldn't help but asked.

"Did I ever?" South replied with an exaggerated sigh. "He stole my boyfriend once!"

"Ooh!" the girls chorused.

"I would never have guessed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes!" Connie spoke up. "York seemed like such a womanizer, and North… well he didn't seem to like anyone!"

"Oh, trust me, he was smitten," South replied. "He had his eye on York ever since they met in the waiting room after the testing."

"Wow, really?" Connie exclaimed. "I can't believe I didn't notice!"

"It didn't help that you were eyeing off North initially!" Tex ribbed at Connie, who spluttered in embarrassment and went red.

"Oh, really?" South asked, turning to Connie with a smirk. Connie sank down into her seat.

"I think he's cute, is all… and I've got no chance now. He and York are perfect for each other!"

"Well, Carolina had a crush on York!" South declared, pointing at her redheaded friend.

"Yeah, so what!" Carolina quickly defended while the other three laughed.

"Meh, whatever," Tex finally said, once she'd calmed down. "So, does anyone know about the next mission?"

* * *

_Meanwhile, behind the door._

"Ha! Carolina had a crush on you, York!"

"Yeah! I had no idea!"

"And Connie had a crush on North?"

"Don't sound so jealous, Wash. I don't like her anyway!"

"I wasn't jealous!"

"You so were!"

* * *

**There you go! Thank you for reading and please leave a review! Prompts and requests are always accepted!**


	7. Finding Peace

**Hi guys, and welcome to another installment for More than Moments! Now, I know I have been late in delivering chapter 4 of More than Mortals, but I've been really sick lately, as well as suffering from a terrible case of writer's block! :(**

**So, I decided to write this in hopes of tempting the plot bunnies to bite me! XD**

**This is just a little bit of insight into the backstories of the characters in my headcanon... :D **

******Anyway, please enjoy! **

**Title: Finding Peace**

**Summary: North and York have both suffered hardships during their lives. Can they help each other finally find peace? **

**Warnings: Slash, slight child abuse**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Red vs Blue or any of the characters/trademarks associated with it!**

* * *

_Nick felt butterflies fluttering in his stomach as he lifted a sweaty hand to knock on the door of his father's study._

_Nick heard a muffled "come in!" and gulped as he hesitantly opened the door and went in._

_His father turned his office chair, spinning to face his son with a warm smile._

"_Hey, Nick! What can I do for you?"_

_Nick swallowed hard again and willed up the courage to speak, a lump forming in his throat and making his voice quaver._

"_I… I need to talk to you… I need to tell you something…" he replied hesitantly, stepping forwards and shutting the door behind him. Nick's father smiled encouragingly. _

"_Go ahead! You can tell me anything!" _

_Nick shut his eyes tightly and willed up the courage, before finally blurting out:_

"_I think I like boys."_

_There was a tense silence as the smile slid off his father's face, to be replaced with a stony look. Nick fidgeted anxiously as the older man's piercing gaze threatened to burn a hole in his head. He stared at the floor, trembling. Eventually, his father spoke, his voice deadly calm._

"_What… did you just say…?"_

_Nick fought back tears, though he couldn't stop his voice shaking as he spoke._

"_I said that… I-I like boys…"_

_Because he was busy staring at his shoes, he didn't register the change in his father's demeanour until the man stood up sharply and grabbed Nick by his collar, shoving him roughly against the door. Nick couldn't help the cry of fear and pain as his shoulder blades hit the solid wood._

"_Listen to me very clearly, Nicholas," his father growled. "If I _ever _hear you say that again, there will be consequences. Am I understood?"_

_Nick nodded frantically, struggling to get out of his father's iron grip, tears beginning to trickle down his cheeks. This seemed to enrage his father further, and he barely had time to react before his cheek was stinging sharply from the sharp slap._

"_Do you understand?!" his father demanded._

"_Yes! I understand!" Nick cried desperately. "I'm sorry! I won't say it again, I swear!" He cried out again as he was dropped unceremoniously to the floor._

"_Good." His father turned around and sat back in his chair. "You can go."_

_Nick hastily scrambled to his feet and bolted out of the room, sobbing. He told himself over and over that he didn't like boys. He was so distracted by his internal mantra that he didn't even register the approach of his twin sister, Nicole, until he literally ran into her._

"_Hey, watch it, twerp!" Nicole cried indignantly, shoving her brother to the floor. That was all the prompting that Nick needed, as he curled into a ball, sobbing uncontrollably. Nicole immediately looked uncertain, and hastily knelt down beside her crying brother._

"_G-go away!" Nick whimpered, trying to shrink away from her. Nicole began to look even more bewildered._

"_Uh… I didn't mean it… um… I was just kidding!" she tried to explain, completely confused as to why her usually-calm older brother was an emotional wreck in front of her. However, she became even more stunned when said brother immediately latched onto her, burying his face into her shirt as his shoulders shook with the force of his sobs. Nicole held her hands awkwardly in the air for a bit, before tentatively laying them on Nick's back, holding him close._

_They sat there in the hall for a while, in silence except for Nick's crying, which eventually died down into the occasional sniffle, neither willing to let go of the other just yet._

* * *

_Andrew cried out with a playful 'hey!' as his mother managed to swipe a dollop of icing onto his nose. The tall, dark-haired woman just laughed kindly and turned back to decorating the cupcakes they had just made. Andrew rolled his eyes and also continued pouring sprinkles onto the cupcakes that already had icing, subtly pouring a few into his mouth when he thought his mother wasn't looking._

"_Andy, did you just steal some sprinkles?" his mother asked with a playful glare. Andrew shook his head emphatically, his eyes wide and innocent._

"_No, mum!" he said sweetly. His mother rolled her eyes and pointed at the few brightly-coloured specks that had attached themselves to the corner of his lips._

"_You're a terrible liar, Andrew!" she admonished with a grin, before promptly picking up the bag of sprinkles and pouring some into her own mouth._

"_Mum!" Andrew cried indignantly, grabbing the packet out of her hands as she laughed._

"_Okay, okay, I'm sorry! No more eating until we're done!" his mother grinned, returning her attention to icing the small cakes. Andrew nodded and continued decorating._

_They continued to work in silence, before Andrew eventually spoke up softly._

"_Hey, mum…" he began._

"_Hmm?" _

"_Do you think I'll ever find somebody like me…?" he asked uncertainly. His mother turned to him with a warm smile._

"_Yes, you will," she said, knowing exactly what her son was talking about._

"_But… how come nobody else is like me?"_

"_Well, the problem is, a lot of boys like you aren't brave enough to admit they like boys, so they keep it secret and end up being alone."_

"_But the other kids make fun of me! They say I'm a freak!" Andrew protested, turning to his mother with a worried frown. "Am I a freak?"_

"_Oh, sweetie, of course not!" his mother replied emphatically. "You know, the only reason those kids make fun of others is because they're jealous of how confident and strong you are! They have to pick on others to make themselves feel better, but really they're just silly cowards!"_

"_Really?" Andrew asked. His mother nodded with a smile._

"_Yep!" she replied. "And anyway, if you are open about your preferences and stay true to yourself, then maybe another boy just like you will find out, and they'll be just as happy as you to find somebody like them!"_

"_Yeah!" Andrew cried, feeling much better. His mother ruffled his dark brown hair affectionately._

"_That's the spirit!" she told him, opening her arms. Andrew eagerly rushed into her warm embrace, hugging her tightly and enjoying the comfort of just being in the arms of somebody who loved him for who he was._

* * *

North was having a nightmare, York eventually realised when his sluggish brain eventually caught up to the fact that his boyfriend was thrashing and whimpering in his sleep. York quickly sat up and gently tried to pin North's flailing hands down, but this only caused him to panic and struggle even harder.

"North!" York called, firmly shaking his boyfriend's shoulder. North shuddered and snapped awake, breathing hard. York immediately pulled the trembling blonde into his lap, holding him close and murmuring soothingly. North's breath hitched, and he clutched York tightly, his face buried in the other man's shoulder.

"Hey, it's okay… it was just a dream…" York soothed, gently rubbing North's back. The distressed Freelancer didn't reply, just continued holding onto York until eventually he calmed down somewhat.

"I'm sorry, York…" North eventually spoke up, though he didn't relinquish his hold.

"For what? You didn't do anything wrong!" York replied, pushing North off him slightly so he could gaze searchingly into his boyfriend's brilliant blue-green eyes. North sighed heavily.

"I don't know…" he mumbled quietly. York gently took North's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Do you want to tell me what the dream was about…?" he asked softly. North nodded and took a deep breath.

"It was… it was when I told my father that I… that I liked men as well… he got really angry…" North flinched as York's grip tightened minutely in anger.

"Why can't people just accept us?" York growled quietly. "We're all human!"

"What do you mean…?" North asked softly, frowning in concern as he saw the turmoil flickering in his boyfriend's dark eyes.

"It's nothing," York muttered. North rolled his eyes.

"You're a terrible liar, York," he told him affectionately. "What's wrong?"

"I was… bullied. Quite a bit, particularly in high school…" York confessed, "even though my mother always told me that they were just jealous because I was brave enough to be open about my sexuality…"

"Your mother sounds like a really nice person…" North murmured. York nodded.

"She's the best, even after Dad left, she never stopped loving me… even when I told her about my 'preferences', she just gave me a kiss and told me that she already knew, and that she loved me regardless…" York felt North tense slightly, and instantly felt a pang of regret when he remembered that North's family had not been so… forgiving.

"My mother and I didn't really get along… she had wanted a daughter, and Dad had wanted a son, so while Mum devoted all her time to South, my father was very warm and encouraging to me… or so I thought…" he added bitterly. York immediately wrapped his boyfriend into another embrace, one which North returned warmly, and they remained pressed against each other for a long time, soothing the other's hurt.

And finally, they felt they could be at peace with who they were.

* * *

**Right, well, feel free to keep that pillow you just stuffed with all the fluff in this fic! Anyway, thank you for reading, and please leave a review! Concrit is very welcome and encouraged, but flames are not!**


End file.
